If your teen has recently lost a family member or loved one, they may develop new or worsening mental health concerns. These concerns can take a drastic toll on the teen’s physical and mental health, and they may turn to drugs or alcohol to cope. In such cases, it may be necessary to seek grief and loss therapy for your teen. Grief counseling can help your teen understand their feelings and process them in a healthy way. We can then help them reconnect to their loved ones. To learn about our grief therapy techniques or our options for grief counseling in Idaho, please call the adolescent treatment programs at Imagine Nampa today.
What Is Grief and Loss Therapy?
Grief and loss therapy is a treatment technique that we have designed to help teens healthily process the feelings surrounding the person they are now missing. This often includes the death of a family member or loved one, but it can also apply to any kind of loss, such as moving away from home or divorce.
The goal of grief and loss therapy is twofold: first, we want to help the teen understand and accept their feelings. This includes both good and bad feelings, such as sadness, anger, and guilt. Second, we want to help the teen reconnect with their loved ones. This can be done in a number of ways, such as sharing memories or spending time with people who were close to the deceased.
A grief and loss therapist can help the teen work through their emotions and develop healthy coping mechanisms. The grieving process is unique to each individual, and a therapist will work with the teen to find what works best for them. Techniques used in grief therapy may include writing exercises, talking about the loss, and participating in activities that honor the deceased.
Why Might Your Teen Need Grief Counseling?
Grief counseling can be for those who have recently lost a loved one. However, it can also be helpful for children who have recently been separated from their parents or for those who have recently moved away from their former friends. Many parents may not know whether their child needs grief and loss therapy. It’s important to seek grief and loss therapy if your teen is displaying any of the following signs:
- Excessive crying
- Sudden change in eating habits
- Trouble sleeping
- Mood swings
- Withdrawing from friends or activities
- Acting out
- Self-harming behaviors
- Drinking or taking drugs to cope
If your teen is experiencing any of these symptoms, they may need grief counseling. Grief and loss therapy can help them understand why they’re feeling the way that they are.
Benefits of Our Grief Therapy Techniques
Here at Imagine Nampa, we have helped many teens process their feelings of grief and loss. Our grief counseling techniques have yielded positive results for many of our clients. Some of the benefits of our therapy include:
- Helping the teen understand their feelings
- Encouraging healthy coping mechanisms
- Helping the teen reconnect with loved ones
- Providing a supportive environment
- Avoiding new and worsening mental health concerns.
Grief and loss therapy can be the difference between your teen wallowing in the loss and relying on unhealthy coping mechanisms and your teen beginning the healing process.
Seek Treatment for Your Teen at Imagine Nampa
A loss in the teenage years can be devastating and have lasting effects on your teen’s mental and physical health. At Imagine Nampa, we specialize in grief and loss therapy. If you are concerned about your teen’s mental health, please call us at 888.503.4604 today for a consultation. We would be happy to discuss our grief counseling techniques with you and answer any questions you may have.